At 2 years, 2 months (and a few days)...

My dear Eliza, here's a little summary of what you're up to lately (haven't done one of these in a while!):

• you love garbanzo beans.

• you named your kitty figurine "Gabba Babba".

• you sing "row row row your boat", "twinkle", your "ABCs", and Florence + The Machine's "Shake it Out" (well, the chorus at least!).

• you use the word "mostly" in the most interesting ways: "you mostly go over there, mama".

• you still love your mama's milk.

• you have started asking for a baby brother or sister (though I think your Dada had something to do with this...!).  You say "I need a baby {brother/sister - but usually it's sister} so I can share my {bread/milky/toys/etc.} with her".  I think you would make a marvelous big sister, and I would love to see you in that role someday!

• you can count to 11, usually in order, but not always.

• you are finally big enough to face forward in your car seat.

• you have found a new passion for putting things - random toys, balls, food, sippy cups - into plastic baggies so you can "save them".  Then sometimes you will put them in the refrigerator!  You're a silly one.

• you are a carbivore... but you'll eat (or at least try) almost anything.

• you love holding hands with your little friends.

• you are potty trained.

• you love your uncle Reid and aunt Kelly and always ask me if they will have any "em-ee-ems" (M&Ms) for you.

• you "play" with your words... you like to rhyme and make silly words (right now you are saying "fruit-toot-fruit-toot-woot-toot-woot-toot".  It's very purposeful and you know you are being silly and speaking nonsense when you do it.  Of course we take this as a sign of great intelligence ;)

• you love books, and of course you especially love it when we read to you.  I think you could probably sit on my lap all day long and read book after book.  A few of your favorites right now are Llama Llama Red Pajama, Mousework, anything by Dr. Seuss (maybe that's where you found your love of rhyming!), Strega Nona, and Owl at Home.

• you love wrapping your toys up in paper or napkins and giving them to people as "presents".

• you are sleeping in your new big girl bed for half the night, and in mama and dada's bed for the other half.

• you love caring for your baby dolls - nursing them, putting them to bed, taking them for walks in their stroller.

• you are a mama's girl, and that is just fine :)

Love you, sweet girl.